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New Technologies Battle Mental Health Crisis

Tuesday, 16 July 2013

James Lee, Scientific Director of Brain Care Ireland, which is based at the Research and Innovation Centre in NUI Galway.

An Irish company, Brain Care Ireland, has brought revolutionary software to the market which has the potential to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s by up to five years. The software is also used to remediate and rehabilitate disorders such as depression, stroke, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and bi-polar disorder.

Developed by a team of neuroscientists, clinicians and researchers, the software - Scientific Brain Training PRO - is already widely available in the US, where it is reimbursable under Medicare. It is also used in countries such as Brazil, Australia, Israel, Korea, Russia and Japan.

Scientific Brain Training PRO facilitates the effective treatment of a variety of conditions through fun and interactive games specially designed for targeted stimulation of key cognitive functions.

According to Brain Care Ireland, research from around the world has shown that engaging in these regular brain training exercises can effect positive changes in our brains helping to improve disorder impairments.

“When it comes to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, early-intervention is key. This product is not a cure for Alzheimer’s albeit research has shown, when used for as little as six months it can delay the onset and progress of the disease by up to five years. Potentially, this could keep people in their own homes longer, save on nursing home costs, and manage future numbers effectively. Modern internet-based technologies, such as Scientific Brain Training PRO, provide medical practitioners with an effective alternative to residential or pharmaceutical interventions with patients,” explains James Lee, Scientific Director of Brain Care Ireland, which is based at the Research and Innovation Centre in NUI Galway.

As well as combatting known disorders, the software can also be used as part of an ageing well programme, which has proved most effective in maintaining older people’s memory from aged decline.

Scientific Brain Training PRO facilitates the effective treatment of a variety of Neurotrauma, Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric conditions through fun and interactive games specially designed for targeted stimulation of key cognitive functions.

“With this software, medical professionals can provide affordable, personalized cognitive therapy programmes, at a distance, to hundreds of patients at the same time maximizing time management and patient communication irrespective of whether the patient has a Stroke, Alzheimer’s, Depression, traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder. There is huge potential here for the healthcare system in Ireland to take a cost effective patient centric fresh approach to managing these disorders and move to a more holistic and modern system of treatments,” added James Lee.

As part of the company’s drive to make people aware of cognitive decline, Brain Care Ireland is offering a short three-minute memory test (Brain Care Ireland and Stanford University USA) for memory decline and impairment in a number of pharmacies across Galway. For further information visit www.braincare.ie.